Take-up mechanism for sewing machines



Oct. 27, 1931.

B. T. LEVEQUE 1,829,227

TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 18, 1927 ,dfl

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0a. 27, 1931. B. T. LEVEQUE 1,829,227

TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Original Filed Feb. 18, 1927 2 Sheets-=Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 27, 1931 UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE BERNARD T. LEVEQUE, OF WENHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Original application filed February 18, 1927, Serial No. 169,203. Divided and this application filed March The invention relates to take-up mechanisms for sewing machines, and although the invention in its broader aspects is applicable to other types of machines, it is particularly designed for use in a lockstitch horn shoe sewing machine of the McKay type.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved take-up mechanism particularly adapted for use in a lo'ckstitch horn shoe sewing machine which will operate smoothly and quietly at high speeds, which is readily adaptable to difierent grades and thicknesses of work, and is simple and durable in construction and reliable in operation.

In machines of this type provided with a work supporting horn which is adapted to extend within the shoe, it is impracticable to provide a thread finger or an equivalent thread measuring mechanism in the horn to provide thread on the work side of the needle during its retracting stroke. Accordingly, in this type of machine, it has been proposed to employ a take-up which pulls the needle loop from the shuttle part-way only down towards the work in order to leave a loop above the work sufficient in length to provide the needle with thread for one side of its loop during its next retracting stroke. In the illustrated machine, a take-up acting in this manner is provided which forms the subjectmatter of the present invention.

One feature of the invention consists in the provision of a take-uplever and means for actuating the take-up comprising a crank and toggle connections arranged in a novel and improved manner to permit an adjustment of the throw of the take-up lever by the operator in accordance with the thickness of the work being operated upon. With this improved construction and arrangement of the parts, a smooth and efficient operation of the take-up mechanism at high speeds is secured, and the length of the loop left above the surface of the work by the take-up may be readily adjusted to the diiferentthicknesses of stock so that an excessive amount of thread may not be drawn around the work from the loop by the action of the needle and the shuttle.

Another feature of the invention consists Serial No. 265,541.

in the provision of a take-up mechanism including a take-up lever substantially as described, which carries a spring controlled auxiliary take-up arm to prevent the accumulation of any slack thread during the operation of the take-up lever.

The several features of the invention consist also in the devices, combinations, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, which together with the advantages to be obtained thereby, should be readily understood by one skilled in the art'from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention in a lockstitch horn shoe sewing machine of the McKay type.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation showing the take-up mechanism and thread clamp for the needle thread; Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 of the take-up mechanism and the thread clamp; Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation looking from the right of the parts shown in Fig. 1; and Figs. 4:, 5, and 6 are detail views showing the relative movement of the take-up mechanism and the mechanism for actuating the thread clamp.

For a more complete disclosure of the lockstitch horn shoe sewing machine which comprises the preferred embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, reference may be had to the inventors pending application Serial No. 169,203, filed February 18, 1927, of which the present application is a division.

The take-up mechanism of the machine is conveniently located directly beneath the horn the base of which is indicated. at lO'and is actuated from the horizontal shaft 12 through which the whirl is driven by means of a crank pinl mounted on a cam disk 16 which is secured to the end of the shaft 12. The crank pin 14 is connected by a link 18 to the central pivot 20 of toggle levers 22 and 24 which are connected respectively to the fixed pivot 26 and to one end of the take-up lever 28 which has a fixed pivot 30.

In order that the length of loop left standing above the work may be adjusted for different thicknesses of stock so that an excessive amount of thread may not be drawnaround the work from this loop by the action of the needle, provision is made to regulate the throw of the take-up lever 28. For this purpose, the pivot 26 of'the toggle lever 22 and'the'pivot 30 of the take-up" lever are mounted on a bracket 32 which is pivotally mounted on a studB l fixed in the machine frame and is secured to the stud by a binding bolt 36; An arm extending upwardly from the hub of the bracket and provided with a "slot through which a set screw 38 extends into the frame affordsan additional means by which thebracket may be adjusted and V retained in position to give the desired amount of throw to the take-up lever. r

, To further facilitate the handling of the needle thread an auxiliary take-up is provided consisting of a lever 40 mounted on the take-up lever 28 and provided with an eye 42 through which the thread is passed.

A spring 44 stretched between the auxiliarytake-up lever and a point on the take-up lever;

'28 tends to turn the auxiliary take-up lever vabout its'pivot to take up slack thread. The movement of the lever in the opposite direction is limited by the engagement of a flange 46 formed on the lower end of the lever with the under side of the take-up lever 28. I

The machine is also provided with a thread clamp which cooperates with the take-up while pulling the needle loop from the shut- 1 tle down towards the workand which is held in released position after. the movement of the needle and shuttle is stopped in order to prevent the breaking of the thread during the continued operation of the take-up;

The threadclamp consists of two disks in-' dicated at48 loosely mounted on a shaft-50 and interposed between an abutment 52 on the machine frame and the hub of a cam lever 54 secured to one end of the shaft. To the other end of the shaft is secured a cam faced block 56 which is held in engagement with an opposing stationary cam faced block 58 by means of a spring 60 coiled vabcutthe shaft between-the cam block 56 and the machine frame, The cam lever 54 carries on its outer end acam roll 62'which engages thesurface ofthe cam disk 16 secured to the horizontal shaft 12. When the cam roll 62 rides onto the-highportion. of'the cam. 1 6 the shaft 50 will be rocked; and moved axially against the pressure of the spring 60 through the inter action 1 oft-hecam faced blocks 56 and 58 to release the thread clamp, as illustrated in Figs. 1

, and 3. When the cam roll reaches the'low portion of the cam, the pressure of the spring 60. will cause the shaft 50 to be rocked in the opposite direction bythe contact of the cam blocks and the shaft to be moved axially to close thethread clamp. V

The take-up mechanism and the mechanism for actuating the thread clamp are so and while the loop'of needlethread is passing over the top of the shuttle. At this time, it will be noted that the high portion ofthe cam is active so that thethread clamp is in its open position withthe thread released. In 'FigQ5, the take-upis stillatthe top of its stroke, but is about to start down while the thread clamp has just been close'd. In Fig. 6,.the take-up .is at the limit of its downward stroke and the thread clamp-has been opened. f

The invention havingbeen described, what is claimed is 2' w tion, a take-up mechanism comprising a takeup lever, a toggle connected to the take-up lever, means including a crank for flexing the toggle to actuatethe take-up lever, and.

means for varying the positionof the toggle with relation to the crank to adjust the throw of the take-up lever. p

I 2. A sewing machine having, in combination, a. take-up mechanism comprising abracket, a take-up lever mounted on the bracket, a toggle connected to the take-up lever, means including a crank for flexing the toggleto' actuatethe take-up lever, and

means for positioning the bracketrelatively v to the crank to adjust the throw of the'takeup lever. I 7 f I 3. A sewing machine having, in 'combi nation, atakenp mechanism comprising a bracket, a take-up lever mountedon the .1;

bracket, a toggle, one armof which is secured to the take-up lever and thelother arm'of which is mounted on the bracket, means including a crank for flexing the toggle to ac.- tuate the take-up lever, and means. for post tioning the bracket relatively to the crank to adjust the throw of the take-up. p

4:- A sewing machine having, in combi nation, a take-upv mechanism comprising" a take-up lever, a bracket, a toggle having one arm connected to the take-up lever and'tlie other arm mounted on the bracket, means iiicluding a crank for flexing the toggle to actuate the take-up lever, and means for posi- .90 r 1. A sewing machme having, in combinationing the bracket relativelyv to the crank .to adjust the throw of the take-up lever.

name to this specification.

1 B R A D In testimonv whereof I have signed, my 

